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https://github.com/matrix-construct/construct
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26 lines
1.4 KiB
Markdown
26 lines
1.4 KiB
Markdown
## Memory Buffer Tools
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This is a modernization of the `(char *buf, size_t buf_sz)` pattern used
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when working with segments of RAMs. While in C99 it is possible (and
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recommended) for a project to create a `struct buffer { char *ptr; size_t size; };`
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and then manually perform object semantics `buffer_copy(dst, src);`
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`buffer_move(dst, src)``buffer_free(buf);` etc, we create those devices using
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C++ language features here instead.
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This suite is born out of (though not directly based on) the boost::asio buffer
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objects `boost::asio::const_buffer` and `boost::asio::mutable_buffer` and the
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two principal objects used ubiquitously throughout IRCd share the same names
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and general properties. We also offer conversions between them for developers
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working with any asio interfaces directly.
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To summarize some basics about these tools:
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- Most of these interfaces are "thin" and don't own their underlying data, nor
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will they copy their underlying data even if their instance itself is copied.
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- We work with signed `char *` (and `const char *`) types. We do not work with
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`void` pointers because size integers always represent a count of single bytes
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and there is no reason to lose or confuse that information. If `unsigned char *`
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types are required by some library function an explicit cast to `uint8_t *` may
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be required especially to avoid warnings. Note that we compile this project with
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`-fsigned-char` and don't support platforms that have incompatible conversions.
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